Amar Chitra Katha

Prahlad drove his monstrous father to a murderous rage. He insisted on praising Lord Vishnu who was considered a sworn enemy by his father Hiranyakashipu. When he tried to punish his disobedient son, Hiranyakashipu's potent poisons turned to nectar while his lethal weapons fell harmlessly away. In this tale of bloodthirsty revenge, Prahlad's only defense is his devotion which dramatically puts an end to all evil.

As Brahma sinks into peaceful bliss, his radiance gives birth to a sublime form. Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom, emerges from Brahma's mind and enlightens the mighty creator. When the all-consuming fire, Vadavagni, is raging through the world the gods go to Saraswati for help. Saraswati agrees to carry the fire and save everyone from perishing. Shiva aids her in this quest and she begins her epic course as a river. Later, Saraswati finds herself the victim of a terrible curse when she gets drawn into the rivalry between the sages Vishwamitra and Vasishtha. Amar Chitra Katha follows the story of Saraswati, from her birth to her journey into the ocean.

The three worlds of the universe were reeling from shock: the asuras had taken control! Even the plants were withering away. Only the great Lord Vishnu could make things right again. He got both devas and asuras to churn up life-giving nectar from the ocean of milk and then ensured that the asuras were kept away from this gift of immortality.

With his presence of mind and unfailing humor, Gopal, the barber, not only made the king of Krishnanagar laugh in the midst of worry or boredom but he also resolved grave matters of state with surprising ease. Bullies and misers, dreamers and the narrow-minded, all got a taste of his wit, much to the delight of readers.

Rama was happy living in the forest with his wife and brother. Palace intrigue may have forced his exile, but the next fourteen years promised to be quite pleasant. Suddenly, this idyllic life was thrown into turmoil. His beloved wife Sita was kidnapped! With unmatched skill as a warrior, Rama destroyed the ten-headed Ravana and along the way, he won a host of very grateful friends.

Ganga's cleansing waters were urgently needed on earth. But, the spirited daughter of the mountain god was not to be easily subdued as her waters darted about uncontrollably. Only Shiva could tame her by entangling her in the coils of his hair. When her waters could finally wend their way out, they were calmer and purer. They turned arid wastes into fertile land and filled up the oceans. Since those ancient times when King Bhagiratha sought her help, Ganga, whether roaring or placid, dancing or somber, continues to enchant one and all with her life-giving beauty.

Three cunning men vex a Brahmin into throwing away a goat carried by him, by calling the animal as a calf, a dog and a donkey. An elephant heeds the request of mice not to trample them and is gratefully freed by them when trapped later. A sage turns a mouse into a girl. When she is grown up and asked to choose a groom, she rejects the sun, cloud, wind and mountain one by one and settles upon the mouse as the mightiest. This Panchatantra collection is a treasure house of a variety of such stories. A collection of tales compiled by Vishnu Sharma, for his young students some 2,200 years ago, the Panchatantra is still correcting common human weakness with its wry humor.

Friends are our most valuable possession, that is the lesson these Jataka tales impart. The wise, like Nigrodha Kumar, cherish their companions. Pottik's selfless loyalty is rewarded by unexpected riches. On the other hand, for the selfish ingrate Shakha there awaits only a shameful loneliness. Rich or poor, ugly or handsome, powerful or helpless, a friend is one whom you can trust and for this luxury, you should repay your friend with respect and honor.

When the king saw a strapping lad astride the aged shoulders of his guru, he knew something was amiss. Soon he realized that, if young Raman was around, it was best to expect the unexpected. This village bumpkin was no fool, even the fiery goddess Kali had given in to his wiles. Wheeding his way into the mighty Vijayanagara court, it was but a short step into the heart of King Krishnadeva Raya, who welcomed a laugh or two to lighten his busy day.

A hundred sons, the sages say, are a hundred blessings. Gandhari's hundred Kaurava sons, however, were more of a curse. Did they become evil by some divine plan or was it because she was proudly blind to their faults? Helpless as they heaped dishonor on the family, she was furious with Lord Krishna for abetting in her son's eventual slaughter. Unfortunately, her grief was overpowering and threatened to wreak further havoc.

She was only a child of five and he a mere image of the Lord Krishna, but little Mira loved him with all her heart. So strong was her devotion that it rendered even irate kings and murderous relatives powerless. Mirabai became a queen, but she continued to serenade her lord through the ups and downs of her eventful life. Her hymns to Krishna, which are sung to this day, left even the great Mughal emperor Akbar spellbound.

The asuras rejoiced as they played havoc with both men and gods. Maya, their gifted architect, had created for them three cities fortified with iron, silver and gold and the great lord Brahma himself had decreed that these cities would be indestructible, unless struck by a single arrow. The three cities, known together as Tripura, orbited the earth and only once in a thousand years fell in a straight line, directly one above the other. Would Shiva be waiting to destroy them with a twang of his deadly bow?

Paundraka Vaasudeva had his name common with that of Krishna Vaasudeva. His sycophants led him to believe that he was as strong and powerful as Krishna. How he fell into disgrace and disaster is told in this story based on the Bhagawat Purana.

King Suddhodana was at his wit's end. He had surrounded his handsome young heir with comfort and riches, love and respect, but Prince Siddhartha was still not content. One night, the prince abandoned his family. Exchanging his royal robes for a begging bowl, his luxurious palace for the shade of a tree, Siddhartha lived the life of an ascetic to seek the ultimate truth about life and suffering. His search led him to enlightenment and he became Buddha, the Awakened One.

Arul Mozhi Varman was the younger son of the king of Thanjavur. Quiet, firm and dependable he won the heart of every person he met. However, it was his hot-headed brother who was heir to the throne. But no one could stand in the way of what destiny had in store for the young prince. By the strangest twists of fate, Arul ascended the throne as Raja Raja Chola and proved to be one of the greatest rulers in the history of medieval India. During his 30-year-reign the Chola empire not only became a formidable maritime power but was also a hub of art and architecture.

Even gods can be prey to their inner torments. Lying and killing for the sake of peace and order, Indra felt he was unworthy of being king of heaven. A new king was installed on his throne! Now it was up to Indra's wife Shachi to ensure that his honor survived. Would the gods ever regain their respect for her beloved?

Down its 1000 year-old recorded history, Delhi was razed and built several times. The city played host to many rulers like the Chauhans, the Slave kings, the Khiljis, the Tughluqs, the Mughals and the British. It suffered the brutalities of numerous invaders. Each ruler and each invader left his own special mark on the psyche of this great city. The historic city of Delhi presents a palette of colorful influences that truly reflects the composite culture of India.

To possess true knowledge, one need not be grey-haired or bald, this ancient adage was proved true by the young Dhruva and Ashtavarka. Dhruva countered the evil intentions of his scheming stepmother with intense devotion. Ashtavarka worked hard and by the age of 12 had absorbed all there was to learn. One was rewarded with a kingdom and a shining place in the celestial world for ever more, the other's brilliance brought his father back to life.

The story book draws another leaf from the many epic tales involving lord krishna. The story is about narakasura (naraka the demon) who was a vicious tyrant who subdued the gods and stole away their wealth, and even jewels from the earrings of the god-mother. So, lord krishna agrees to the request of the chief of gods and confronts the enemy. Would krishna be able to overcome narakasura's formidable defences? Would his gleaming discus ever find its mark? Read on to know more!

Saumitri's mother-in-law is a tyrant and a greedy one too. So when Saumitri discovers the pure gold sands of Suvarna Dweep, her mother-in-law decides to go there at once. In another story a pretentious owl tries to match the status of his friend the king of swans and oversteps the boundaries of caution. The Panchatantra, though originally written by Pandit Vishnu Sharma, was reworked by successive writers. The stories in this Amar Chitra Katha are taken from the Kannada translation, of Vasubhaga Datta's version by Durgasimha, a minister at the court of the Chalukya king, Jayasimha.

The Yadava tribe fled to distant Dwaraka to escape the wrath of the mighty Jarasandha, the ruler of Magadha. This king, whose very name made the strong quake, had to be subdued if the Pandavas were to establish their supremacy in the area. Only their cousin Krishna, a Yadava hero, could help them and this is the tale of his triumph.

King Nala's life is idyllic, until a cunning cousin tricks him out of his kingdom. Can the love of his beautiful Damayanti survive such a calamity? Will they be able to win back happiness? Full of twists and turns, the story of this ideal couple is told in the Mahabharata.

These Jataka tales are a wake-up call to all ungrateful, arrogant, hypocritical and self-serving liars. Full of humor and sound advice, they reveal the tyrannical power of money, the foolishness of superstition and the dangers of losing self-control. So, read and be entertained and laugh as you learn and remember, the good always triumph.

Even wily parrots risk their lives for the gentle Aushadha Kumar, a shining example of right thinking and right living described in the Buddhist Jataka tales. Scheming rivals, foolish rulers and wicked courtiers leave him undaunted. He can organize king Vaideha's security, a network of spies and a royal wedding with equal flair. So, when a deadly plot is revealed, it is Aushadha who swings into action.

Bhagat Singh sang gustily as he walked to the gallows. Backed by a courageous family, this twenty-three-year-old firebrand was wedded to death. A free India was his heaven and the martyrs of the freedom struggle were his gods. Using disguise and guile, persuasion and force, his life was a roller-coaster ride through an unjust system. But eventually, he awakened India and the world to the idea of liberty and brought the mighty British Raj to its knees.

Ambition and arrogance, these were to be the cause of Ravana's downfall. Blessed by both Brahma the creator and Shiva the destroyer, the powerful ruler of Lanka could have enjoyed fame and respect had he only reined in his arrogance. It was left to Vishnu the preserver to find a way to curb Ravana. In the process, there unfolded one of the world's most beautiful romantic sagas, the story of Rama's love for his devoted Sita.

It takes a wise man to recognize another's wisdom. While Akbar's courtiers were jealous of Birbal, the emperor was quick to notice his agile mind. The two men loathed hypocrisy and deceit and they also shared the complete delight in a good joke.

They said Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata turned mud into gold or was it skilful management, clear thinking and honesty that did the trick? He had an uncanny knack for recognizing a good business opportunity and a selfless will to improve the lot of his countrymen. Thus a little known Zoroastrian family became the foremost business house in India's industrial history.

Life is unfair: the virtuous Kannagi deserves a loving husband, but selfish beauties and foolish kings combine to rob her of happiness. Her patience snaps, eventually. Pure in her love, this gentle woman is transformed into an avenging angel, raining death and doom on all her foes, until the gods are forced to intervene. Ilango Adigal's Tamil classic, Shilappadikaram presents life with all its flaws but also with hope.

Dick Whittington, three times the Lord Mayor of London, owed his fortune to a cat. In this endearing Jataka tale, which preceded the popular English folktale by more than a thousand years, the hero owes his fortune to a mouse! Meet the most successful entrepreneur of the Jataka period, the Mouse Merchant.